David J. Ross

David J. Ross, age 65, passed away in a glider accident on Saturday, June 9, 2018 in the lower Teton Mountains, near Jackson Hole, WY. He was born on June 8, 1953, in Fremont, Ohio, to Joseph and Helen Ross. Having obtained a BS degree in Information and Computer Science from Georgia Tech in 1976, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity and MS degrees in Computing Science from UC Davis in 1981, David has programmed videogames nearly as long as the genre has existed.

David started his career as a scientific programmer in 1976 with Texas Instruments in Plano, TX, where he also received his private pilot's license. In 1978, he moved to Lawrence Livermore Labs, where he did theater-level nuclear facility threat analysis. He took the opportunity to join Bally Sente in Sunnyvale, CA in 1982, where he was also a Big Brother to numerous mentees and met his best friend and love of his life, Vic. They were married in 1988. Also, in 1988, he took a position as lead programmer for Mediagenic in Menlo Park. 1991, saw Dave's move to Salt Lake City, where he remained for the rest of his life. His first job in Salt Lake City was with Sculptured Software/Acclaim Entertainment and in 1999, moved to his last and best employer, Avalanche Software, where he remained through their various acquisitions by Disney Interactive and Warner Brothers Games.          

Additionally, Dave applied his prodigious work ethic and boundless passion to his family, a truly amazing circle of close friends and colleagues, golf, and motorcycles. He was the type of guy who was interested in everything and reveled in being the "go-to" for his co-workers and family. His wife and son, Mitchell, are surrounded by a group of very good friends that Dave has worked and played with for over 25 years. Clearly, in Dave's other-driven life, it was the people with whom he came into contact, made friends with, or just helped, that made life endlessly meaningful and exciting.      

Dave was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Vic, his son Mitchell, his sister, Regina Albert, his brother, Captain Thomas Ross and numerous nieces and nephews.    

His family asks that Dave's numerous friends, neighbors and colleagues, join them for a Celebration of Life, Wednesday, June 20, 2018 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. Given his propensity to be a "casual" dresser, the family asks that celebrants joining us to also dress casually and bring your recollections of Dave's zest for life. Guests are encouraged to use the complimentary valet parking on the north side of the building.